al
within the
ha
with inadequate windows that gave little more than a
glimpse of the grounds. A cast-iron wood stove jutted
5 feet into the space and was “a dominating presence
that we never used,” says Footer, who is chief financial
officer of his wife’s design firm. “We were happy to get
rid of it,” he says.

Working with Myer and Knerr, the couple now
ve what Birkerts has dubbed their “mini great
room,”a multifunctional space where they spend most
of their time. At one end, comfortable
seating is oriented both to the view and
to a media center. At the opposite end,
a built-in desk/library table is always in
use for projects. The renovation stayed
house’s footprint, but does cantilever out
from one exterior wall to accommodate a deeply cushioned window seat that functions like a sofa. French
doors and lots of windows bring nature indoors.

“Good design is the sum of its parts and should
ways meet its users’ needs,” says Birkerts, citing a
principle that guides her own work. “This was a small
renovation that gave us a whole new dimension.”

for more
details,
see
resources

footer is the ardent gardener in the family, responsible for the big vegetable patch at theback of the property. “My contribution is mostly deadheading,” says Birkerts, “though I doplant sunflowers in a circle each year that grow up to be my round outdoor sunflower room.”

Ann Beha Architects | Eric Roth Photography

Voted 2008, 2009 Best Builder by Boston Home and 2008 Best Contractor by Boston Magazine
www.thoughtforms-corp.com | 978.263.6019